Varsity out-scores Cranford 39-30 in a match that saw Summit lose a game for the first time in the season and out-scored by a 14-10 margin for the first time in a game all year. But SHS held a 29-16 lead in the games they won which was the difference in the match.
Despite the fact that the Hilltoppers barely out-killed Cranford 8-7 in game 1 (14-11 point advantage Summit), it was the relentless pressure of the Summit attack that was the difference as it forced Cranford into many errors while SHS just kept attacking. Summit sided-out (received serve) at a 50% rate but made up for it with a 64% point-scoring rate (serving) that kept the Cougar offense at bay (Cranford 36% Side-out, 50% Point-Scoring)
Summit trailed 2-4 early but Catherine Eldridge hit a ball out of the middle which sparked 6-0 run (Erin Vostal kill, Meghan Tarashuk ace) which settled the squad down. With the score 8-6, a Cougar hitting error sparked a 4-0 run which saw Gabbie Guidetti hit for 2 aces and put the Cranford team in dire straits. At 12-6, this looked like another Summit moment to pull away and take control of the game and 4-0 run sparked by a Vivian Roberts kill which led to an Eldridge block and another Roberts kill to push the Summit lead to 18-8. A 4-0 run by Cranford cut the lead to 18-12 but a down ball kill by Kiera Stocks pushed the lead back up to 20-12 but the Cougars ripped another 5-0 run (4 Cougar kills) before an Eldridge kill stopped the point bleed and soon the Top had their lead back up to 22-17. Summit finished the game with a 3-0 run (Eldridge kill, Tarashuk ace) to wrap up the game 25-18. Despite the game win, Summit had its warning, as Cranford had out-scored SHS 10-7 (7-3 actual earned points) down the stretch.
Game 2 opened up with a Summit 4-0 run sparked by Kasey Walsh´s serving (1 ace) and despite a hitting error to break her serve, SHS got a kill from Roberts to regain control at 5-1. Cranford went on a 4-0 run to knot the score but a service error had the Hilltoppers up 6-5 but yet again the Cougars bounced back and the Top was tied at 7 after a Vostal kill. Cranford put the Summit serve receive under pressure and held a 9-11 lead and SHS reacted with a 4-0 run (Roberts kill) that seemed to settle the troops but Cranford received another unforced error gift from the Top and the score was 14-14 before the Maroon and White could enjoy their run. SHS then responded with a 3-0 run but it was all fueled by Cougar missteps but at 17-15, Sarah Maldonado ripped a kill to zone 5-6 seam followed by a Stocks ace which seemed to get the ball rolling to a Summit win in 2 as usual. And, with the score 20-16 SHS, it seemed like everything was going according to plan but someone forgot to send the Cougars the memo. Cranford out-scored SHS 9-1 to be the first team to take a game from the Hilltoppers this season. Summit now knew what it felt like to be the hunted and not the hunter. SHS scored only 10 points in Game 2 and Cranford 14 which was the difference in the final score.
In deciding game 3, SHS found its killer instinct and out-scored the Cougars 15-5, establishing its dominance in the front row. SHS had an incredible side-out rate of 80% and point-scored at a 54% rate while keeping the Cougars at 20% for point scoring and a mere 45.8% for side-out. Although Cranford served first, the Hilltoppers turned that serve into a Roberts kill and Walsh hit for an ace in a 3-0 run that had the Top in control early. The teams traded points back and forth and failed to establish any momentum and the 7-6 Summit lead was reflective of that reality. But then a sequence of events unleashed what would be a predictor for what SHS would bring in Game 3. Stocks passed up a ball from a tough Cougar server that was attacked by Maldonado. Cranford defended it but could only manage a free ball back that was set up for a Vostal swing that was dug up but the second contact was forced and errant giving the Hilltoppers an 8-6 lead. Guidetti then nailed another ace (44% ace for the match) and forced another errant pass that caused a ball handling error which then she followed up with another ace to force a Cougar time-out at 11-7. The match hung in the balance.
Off the time-out, Cranford earned a service break but the teams again were just jabbing at each other without being able to gain any momentum. Receiving serve at 13-10, Guidetti put up a perfect pass to Walsh who found Roberts for a screamer of a kill off a Cranford DS to ignite the Summit bench. Sarah Brennan then put up a key serve that forced the Cougars into the net and SHS held a firm 15-10 lead. Although Cranford got a tip kill to get the score to 15-11, the Hilltoppers then responded with a 5-0 run (Maldonado kill, Brennan kill, Eldridge block) to wrest control of the match at 20-11. A service error gave the Cougars the ball back but it seemed academic and the Top had gotten over the shock of losing a game, there was no panic in their movement and communication was evident. Maldonado broke serve immediately with a kill and SHS pushed another 3 points on the board with Tarashuk hitting another ace. Maldonado was key down the stretch and hit another kill for a 24-13 lead and Annabella Yorio wrapped up the festivities with an outside kill into the middle of the court for the 25-14 final score.
Five different players had at least 1 kill in the deciding game as Walsh again ran a great offense and tallied 24 assists for the match. Guidetti was unstoppable from the service line, going 8/9 with 4 aces (44% ace) to lead all players.
Summit will move on to the away portion of a home and home with ALJ on Wednesday at 4pm.
No comments:
Post a Comment